Indian naval effectiveness for national growth

The core Indian national interest until 2025, which is the time frame of this paper, will continue to be socio-economic growth. In consonance with this, the primary military objective of the Indian Navy (IN) is to promote a secure and stable environment in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), to facilitate this growth by being able to effectively deter potential adversaries. This paper examines the geo-strategic environment leading to the emerging maritime balance of power in the IOR. China’s rapidly growing maritime power is the most recent factor in this balance. This has caused much concern in the region and is, therefore, discussed in some detail